Description
A rich and crunchy Nutty Baklava layered with buttery filo pastry, a mixture of pistachios, walnuts, and pecans, sweetened with honey and fragrant spices, baked to golden perfection and soaked in a luscious orange blossom and honey syrup.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry and Nuts
- 200g butter, plus extra for greasing
- 200g pistachios
- 50g walnuts
- 50g pecans
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 x 270g pack filo pastry
Syrup
- 250g golden caster sugar
- 50g honey
- 2 tsp orange blossom water
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom (from 3 pods)
- 200ml water
Instructions
- Prepare and grease the tin: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease a 21cm x 21cm square cake tin generously with butter.
- Chop and mix nuts: Roughly chop the pistachios, walnuts, and pecans using a food processor, taking care to avoid turning them into a paste. Transfer to a bowl, mix in 3 tablespoons of honey and a pinch of salt, then set aside.
- Melt butter: Gently melt 200g butter in a pan over low heat to use for brushing the filo layers.
- Layer filo pastry base: Cut the first pack of filo pastry sheets in half so they fit the tin. Place one sheet in the tin and brush it with melted butter. Continue layering the sheets, brushing each with butter, until the whole first pack is used.
- Add nut mixture: Evenly spread the honey-coated nut mixture over the layered filo base, pressing it lightly down with the back of a spoon.
- Layer filo pastry top: Cut the second pack of filo pastry sheets in half and continue layering and buttering as before over the nuts until all sheets are used. Pour any remaining butter over the top layer.
- Score the pastry: Use a sharp knife to make deep cuts in the filo to form squares or diamond shapes—this will help the syrup soak in later.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and continue baking for 45 minutes more until golden and crisp.
- Prepare syrup: While the baklava bakes, combine the golden caster sugar, 50g honey, orange blossom water, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, and 200ml water in a saucepan. Heat gently until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until syrup thickens to the consistency of runny honey.
- Soak baklava: Once out of the oven, immediately pour the warm syrup evenly over the baklava, allowing it to seep into the scored lines.
- Cool and serve: Let the baklava cool completely to allow the syrup to absorb fully before serving. This ensures a perfect balance of crunchy layers and sweet, sticky syrup.
Notes
- You can customize the nut mixture by using only one type of nuts as long as the total quantity remains 300g.
- Use a sharp knife to score the pastry deeply to allow syrup penetration and easy portioning.
- Ensure the syrup is warm when pouring over the hot baklava to maximize absorption.
- Let the baklava cool fully for best texture and flavor before serving.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; aging enhances the flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: baklava, nutty baklava, filo pastry dessert, pistachio baklava, honey syrup, orange blossom dessert, Middle Eastern dessert
